The Power of Friendship
by BrokenAngelJen
Summary: Zedd and Rita have sent Keeran to Earth to capture a Ranger. Keeran's sights are on Adam. Until he shows her a kindness she has never known before. Can she follow through with her mission, or will the power of friendship prevail?
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Adam or any of the Rangers and Villians in this fanfic. They are the properties of Saban/Disney/whoever owns them now. Any and all original characters, however, belong to me.

**_The Power of Friendship_**

_**Chapter One**_

The hallway was a mass of organised chaos. It was five minutes shy of the 9am bell and the hallway was buzzing with the sound of a hundred different conversations. Adam Park overheard various words and sentences as he picked his way through the haphazardly moving crowd, headed for his locker. He managed to find it, and quickly pulled his books out.

He shut the short metal door and turned to try and pick his way through the mob that was the hallway, when a girl caught his eye. Her hair, dark chestnut brown, fell to just below her shoulders in gentle waves, the light reflecting deep red highlights. Her eyes, blue-grey and incredibly striking, looked directly at him. A little extra weight clung to her stomach and thighs, yet she wore the cocktail-length violet sundress with an underlying confidence that the young Ranger failed to heed any more notice to her weight. He smiled softly as she passed. She returned the smile with an added blush before disappearing into the mass of students.

"Hey Adam."

Adam turned in time for Rocky to clap a hand on his shoulder. "Oh hey, Rocky."

"You ready for the quiz?"

Adam shrugged. "As ready as I can be." He took one last look into the moving students, but didn't find her. So he adjusted his backpack on his shoulder and followed Rocky to class.

**-0oOo0-**

Skull followed Bulk through the halls as he did school day after school day. It had been that way since they were in Kindergarten. Bulk was always the bigger one, the stronger one physically, so naturally, he was the leader and Skull was the sidekick. There was no doubt Skull considered him a friend; he was the only one he had, and he had got used to his position and had learned to accept it, because that's the way it always was and always would be.

"Hey Skull," Bulk's voice slipped through his thoughts. "Fresh meat."

Skull looked up, and because he'd been in the bullying business for so long (or too long), he knew exactly what student Bulk was going to terrorize.

She was sitting alone at a table in the corner away from everyone else. Wavy chestnut brown hair partially concealed her face from view, but Skull knew this was her first day here. Her head was down, her eyes on an open page of a notebook. A pen was in her right hand.

Bulk grinned slyly; he was quick to snatch the dark green hardcover book from the table. "Ooh, a diary. I love diaries!"

"Hey!" the girl jumped up. "Give it back; it's personal!"

Bulk pulled the book out of her reach, taunting her. "I want to have a look."

"Yeah," Skull chimed in. "Just one little look."

"I told you, it's personal!" The girl reached for her book again. "Give it back to me!"

Bulk pulled it away again and Skull laughed, egging his friend on.

The girl's eyes flared as humiliation was replaced with frustration and anger.

"Hey!"

The two bullies stopped their torment and turned around. Adam and Rocky were standing there.

"You heard her," Adam spoke up, "give it back to her."

"Oh yeah?" Bulk leaned in towards the Black Ranger. Adam stood his ground. "Why should I?"

"Yeah," Skull chimed in, "why should I?"

A pointed glare from Bulk had him rephrasing his statement. "He," he motioned to Bulk. "Why should he?"

"Because it's something that belongs to her," Rocky replied.

"And how would you feel if someone took something that was personal to you?" Adam asked.

Bulk and Skull didn't say anything.

"That's what we thought," Rocky said, while Adam retrieved the notebook from Bulk's hand.

Defeated, the two bullies left, swearing upon themselves to return.

Adam handed the notebook back to the girl. "Here you go."

She blushed. "Thanks. This was the last thing I was looking for on my first day."

"Them?" Rocky asked. The girl nodded. "They're harmless."

"For harmless, they sure know how to humiliate someone."

"They won't now that you know us," Adam smiled. "I'm Adam, and this is Rocky."

"Keeran."

"Why don't you come have lunch with us?" Rocky offered.

Keeran shook her head. "Oh no, it's okay. I don't want to occupy you any more than I have."

"No, we want you to join us for lunch," Adam persisted. "Lunch should never be taken alone."

Keeran's blue-grey eyes looked between the two boys. The dark-haired teen had a point. And she did want to get to know some people. Why not start with these two?

She finally nodded. "Okay." She threw her bag over one shoulder and followed Adam and Rocky towards the snack bar.

"Have you tried one of Ernie's milkshakes yet?" Adam asked.

"Not yet."

"You have to," Rocky cut in, "they are delicious."

"Are they?"

"Oh yeah," Adam replied. "C'mon, I'll get you one."

"The chocolate ones are really good," Rocky added. "I like them."

"Rocky, you like all of Ernie's shakes," Adam quipped, leaning against the bar.

Keeran laughed quietly at the way the two boys interacted with each other. It was more than obvious they had known each other for a good long time. But more importantly, they were comfortable to be around, and being incredibly nice to her. Maybe this would be easier than she thought.

**-0oOo0-**

Rocky watched his friend try to get to know the new girl over milkshakes. He could tell Adam was interested in her and hoped this would pan out for the young man. He could sense a little shyness and reluctance on her end of the conversation, but figured that would pass once she got to know everyone and the city.

"Hey Rocky." Aisha's always chipper voice pulled his attention away.

"Oh hi Aisha." Rocky moved his backpack off of the stool beside him for his friend. Adam's attention never left Keeran.

"Who's this?" Aisha asked, her eyes on the distracted Black Ranger. When he didn't respond, she tapped his shoulder. "Adam."

The boy turned around startled. "Aisha, hey."

"Who's your friend?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Adam blushed. "Aisha, this is Keeran. Keeran, Aisha. Keeran just moved here."

Aisha extended her hand to Keeran. "Nice to meet you."

Shyly, Keeran accepted the Yellow Ranger's handshake. "You too."

"Where were you before moving here?" Aisha asked.

The girl paused. Only Aisha caught it.

"Oregon, I think," Keeran replied. "I've been so many places, they've all kind of merged together."

"That's okay," Rocky said.

"Yeah," Adam added. "All that matters is you're here now."

Keeran nodded. "Right." She smiled. "You're sweet, Adam."

The teen's cheeks turned a light shade of pink and he felt his ears heat up slightly. His eyes remained locked on her.

Until Rocky called Tommy's name.

Keeran suddenly got uncomfortable. "Hey Adam," she spoke. "I just remembered something I have to do for Science. So, I'm going to head out to get it done."

"Okay," Adam said, understandingly.

"But I'll see you after school?"

Adam's bright smile graced his face. "Yeah, of course. I'll meet you at your locker."

Keeran got up, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Okay. See you later." She passed Rocky and Aisha quick smiles. "It was nice meeting you."

Aisha watched her leave, noting the speed and door she took to exit. To get to the Science department, she should have left through the doorway Tommy was entering from, not the one at the opposite end. The girl might have been new, but Aisha sensed something was different about Keeran. What that something was, she couldn't put her finger on, but something wasn't right.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"I don't know, Adam," Aisha followed Adam out of Ms. Appleby's last class. "There's just something about her that I don't trust."

Adam stopped and turned around to face his high school friend. "Just give her a chance, Aisha. She seems nice and she's new. No one should have to go through the first day at a new school alone."

Aisha watched Adam continue down the hall. She wished the boy would stop leaping before he looked when it came to girls. She knew he was jealous of the relationship Tommy and Kim had, though he would never admit to it. Ever since the Ranger had become a teenager and developed an interest in the opposite sex, he had done one of two things: been too shy to speak up and lost his chance, or jumped in too quickly and ended up hurt in one way or another. Aisha was afraid this one would result in the latter. But maybe the Asian teen had a point. Keeran was new to the school. Aisha remembered her first day at Stone Canyon High. It hadn't really been a day to write home about, but it had left her feeling pretty lonely. Until the day she met Adam and Rocky. She also remembered hearing Adam's horror stories of attending new schools; maybe he didn't want the same thing that happened to him to happen to Keeran… And maybe Keeran really had been so many different places that she couldn't decipher one from the other.

But still, the Yellow Ranger couldn't shake this feeling from the pit of her stomach. She was torn. Trust Adam or trust her gut? Either way, she hoped Adam would be careful.

**-0oOo0-**

As promised, Adam was standing at Keeran's locker when she came down the stairs. She smiled upon seeing him.

"You came," she said, going through her locker combination.

"Of course," Adam replied. "I never break a promise."

Keeran opened her locker and put her books inside, using the act to hide a blush. She didn't quite understand why he was being as nice as he was. He barely knew her; she was the new girl. Wasn't it custom for the new student to be singled out, picked on?

"Did you get that assignment you had to do done?" His soft voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Oh, yeah," she answered. "And sorry about that earlier. I'd completely forgotten, then realized it–"

Adam's understanding smile made her stop. "It's okay," he said. He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and rocked on his heels slightly. Keeran could see a question steaming in his mind.

"Um," he stammered, "would you mind if I walked you home?"

Keeran's blush deepened; she did nothing to hide it. "Not at all." She closed her locker and followed Adam out of the school.

"What was it like?" Adam asked, "moving around so much?"

"It was interesting," Keeran replied. "I never really had a chance to get to know anyone."

"How long will you be in Angel Grove?"

Keeran paused a second. She prayed the teen didn't catch it. "Until something changes, indefinitely."

Adam's bright smile told her he'd missed her pause. "I hope you don't move again too soon. I just met you."

She looked at the teen beside her, pausing, processing what she had heard. "No one's ever said that to me before."

Adam looked at her in disbelief. "You're kidding."

Keeran shook her head. "No. Everywhere I went, nobody ever cared about the new kid. And I usually didn't bother trying to get to know anyone because I never stayed long enough to make any friends."

"You mean, you've never had a friend before?" Adam asked.

Keeran looked at him sheepishly. "No…"

"Do you mind if I'm your first?"

Keeran started at him in astonishment. "Serious?"

Adam nodded. "Serious."

A grateful smile spread across the girl's face. "Thank you, Adam."

"Everybody needs a friend," Adam smiled. "Even if it's only one."

Keeran smiled, fighting back yet another blush. She still didn't understand why he was being so sweet to her. She wasn't anything special. She was the new girl, no one was ever nice to the new girl. But she was glad he had become her friend. She'd never had a friend before. She liked the feeling that came with knowing she had someone who cared enough about her to stop the school bullies from humiliating her, someone kind enough to walk her home from school. Someone who liked her for who she was…

She'd never felt this way about anyone; she'd never experienced anything like this. She wanted to get to know him.

**-0oOo0-**

The two stopped in front of the door of Keeran's townhouse flat. It was near the back of a large complex in an older part of the city near the park. The bricks of the houses were the colour of dried mud and the doors were a couple of shades darker.

She turned around to face the Asian teen with a blush. "Thanks for walking me home, Adam."

"You're welcome," Adam replied with a smile. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Keeran said, feeling a little disappointed. "I'll see you tomorrow." She watched him walk back down the path towards the street. She didn't understand how someone could be so nice to someone they knew next to nothing about, nor did she understand how she could be so comfortable with someone without needing to have a conversation. Some of the walk had been silent, but comfortable, enjoyable, like just having the company was all that was needed.

She liked that. She liked all the feelings that came with having a friend: the happiness, the comfort, but most importantly, the acceptance. He _accepted_ her for who she was, even her flaws.

"_Everybody needs a friend,_" he'd said only ten minutes ago. "_Even if it's only one._"

She'd only known the teen for maybe four hours, but already she knew he was someone she could count on; someone she could confidently call a friend.

"Bye Adam!" she called after him.

Adam whirled around. He gave her his bright Adam Park smile. "Bye!" He waved, then turned and continued on his way.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She turned and unlocked her door, ascending the stairs to her flat. She tossed her backpack onto the worn out couch, and moved into the kitchen. She opened the fridge. A carton of eggs sat on the top shelf next to two one-litre cartons of milk. Scrambled eggs sounded good. She pulled out what she needed, setting it on the counter.

"Keeran."

The girl cringed at the high, scratchy, irritating voice behind her. Slowly, she turned around. Rita Repulsa was standing in her living room.

"You have chosen well," she said, "the Black Ranger is a fine choice."

"Yes Empress." Keeran wanted to take those words back the moment they hit the air.

"Now he needs to be captured."

"In due time, Empress," Keeran said. "I will need–"

"Now listen," Rita cut in sharply. "You will go to the park with Adam tomorrow after school. I will send Rito with some Tengas to cause a little chaos, and you will nab the Power Puke." She laughed loudly, scratchy.

Keeran didn't want to accept what she was being told. "But–"

"No buts!" With a jolt from her staff, the evil sorceress sent a surge of evil energy coursing through Keeran's veins. "You will do as I say!"

A sudden hatred filled the girl's heart, hatred for anything good, hatred for the boy who had walked her home. Her mind felt cloudy, as though she was living inside a never-ending dream.

She gave Rita a wicked smile. "Yes, Empress." Her voice was dark. "You will have your Ranger by tomorrow evening."

"Do not disappoint me!" Rita ordered and vanished in a ball of red flame.

"I won't," Keeran said aloud.

She already had that Ranger; he was practically gift-wrapped. Simply because he had befriended her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Adam sat at the regular table, one of Ernie's smoothies in front of him. His dark eyes stared into the pink liquid, though he wasn't looking at it. In truth, he hadn't focused on anything all last night. That included his Creative Writing assignment that was due this afternoon. It was sitting on the other side of his strawberry-banana smoothie, untouched, the same as it had been on his desk at home last night. It wasn't that he didn't have anything to write about; the boy could write about the life of ants and make it interesting. All he had to do was write. If his mind was in the right place…

That was his problem. His mindset was nowhere near the assignment in front of him. It was on the girl he walked home from school yesterday.

Keeran.

He didn't know what it was about her. Was it her smile? The way he felt when he was with her? Or was it something deeper? Like when she'd told him she'd never had a friend before… Maybe it was because he saw a piece of his childhood in her. He knew what it was like to be picked on in school, he knew what it was like to feel excluded. He knew how it felt to not have any friends. That was something he wouldn't wish upon his greatest enemy. He didn't want her to feel the way he had all through elementary school, before he met Rocky and Aisha. He wanted to give her the feeling he had when he first realized he had amazing friends in Rocky and Aisha.

He had enjoyed that walk home yesterday, enjoyed their conversation, enjoyed the comfortable silences. He loved listening to her laugh, loved seeing her smile. It made him feel good to know he had done those things. He hoped he could continue to do those things…

"Hey Adam."

The teen jumped and looked up. Billy was taking the seat across the table. "Hey, Billy."

Billy looked curiously at the blank paper on the table. "You're not done your Creative Writing assignment?" This wasn't like Adam.

Adam gave Billy a sheepish look. "No." He sighed. "Not since I met that new girl."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "New girl?"

Adam nodded. The smile beginning to cross Billy's face was not lost on him. "Her name is Keeran, she's a grade behind us."

"What's she like?" the Blue Ranger asked. It was rare that his friend was able to talk about a girl confidently. He was so shy that most passed him by without a single glance and if he did get up the nerve to say something, it never lasted long or ended well. And the poor boy had been taken advantage of a couple of times, which didn't help any. So every time Adam told him about a girl, he listened and hoped she would turn out better than the last one.

Adam took a sip of his smoothie. "She's cute, smart… she has an amazing smile. I walked her home after school yesterday…"

Billy smiled, listening to the boy go on about his evening, hoping this would pan out for him. The young Ranger deserved it. The more he listened, the more Adam spoke and the more Billy learned about Keeran. Billy soon realized this might have been more than just a little crush. Especially with the way Adam looked up and smiled at someone behind the Blue Ranger.

"Keeran!" the boy exclaimed. He stood up and gave the girl a hug.

Billy turned in his seat to watch the exchange.

"Hi Adam," Keeran smiled as Adam withdrew and looked at Billy.

"Billy, this is Keeran; Keeran, Billy," Adam introduced.

Billy shook Keeran's hand. "Adam's told me a lot about you."

"All good things I hope," Keeran quipped.

"Only good things," Billy replied.

Adam brought a chair over from another table for Keeran. She sat down, dropping her bag on the floor beside her.

"So, Keeran, Adam told me you were never in one place long enough to make any friends," Billy spoke.

"I thought you said he only told you good things," Keeran said.

At Adam's sheepish shrug and apology, she sighed. It was a legitimate question, and she had to play the part, if only for a few hours longer. "Yeah. My parents moved around a lot and after a while, I just stopped trying to make friends; I'd only just move again."

Billy placed a hand on Keeran's shoulder. "Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore. You've got friends here."

Keeran smiled. "Thanks Billy. It's been a while since I've had any of those."

A set of familiar voices hit Keeran's ears. Cautiously, she glanced towards the door; the other Power Rangers were stepping into the Youth Centre. Turning away quickly, she reached for her bag.

"I'm sorry, I've got to run," she said. "I've got an assignment due this morning and I need to get it finished." She looked at Adam. "I'll see you after school?"

"Uh, sure; I'll be here," Adam replied.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Keeran left the Youth Centre, careful to avoid being seen by the other Rangers, especially the White and Yellow ones.

Tommy stopped short suddenly.

Kim, Rocky and Aisha turned to their friend.

"What's wrong, Tommy?" Kim asked.

"I thought I saw someone I knew," he answered. He shook his head. "It was probably nothing." He looked at his friends. "C'mon."

They joined Adam and Billy at the juice bar.

"Where's Keeran?" Aisha asked.

Tommy's attention turned sharply to Aisha upon hearing the name, but he decided to let it go.

"She had to finish up an assignment," Adam replied.

"Oh, okay," Aisha answered.

"She's a nice girl," Billy said.

Rocky nodded. "She is."

**-0oOo0-**

Class ended for the day and Adam went to the Youth Centre to meet with Keeran. She arrived shortly thereafter, and it wasn't long before Adam was excusing himself from Ernie and the juice bar. He followed her out the door as Rocky, Billy and Aisha entered.

Aisha brought her friends' attention to the departing Ranger. "Where's he going?"

"Probably walking Keeran home," Billy replied nonchalantly.

Aisha narrowed her eyes. "He's been spending an awful lot of time with her these last two days."

"Of course!" Rocky exclaimed, "he likes her! There's nothing wrong with Adam spending time with a girl he likes. Besides, I don't think I've ever seen him this happy."

"Yeah…"

"Is something bothering you, Aisha?" Billy asked.

Aisha sighed. "There's just something about her; I can't put my finger on it."

"Maybe you just need to get to know her," Billy suggested. "She's a nice girl."

"She seems nice, and maybe you're right," Aisha said, "but I still can't shake this feeling."

"Just give it time, Aisha," Rocky answered. "I think you'll like her once you get to know her."

Aisha sighed. "Maybe…"

**-0oOo0-**

Adam and Keeran cut through the park. Keeran had asked him about his day and what his weekend plans were. Those questions provided just enough of a distraction for Keeran to think of a way to put her plan into action. She needed to get the boy far enough away to make an easy capture.

"…and actually, I don't have any plans tomorrow," Adam spoke, "aside from finishing up a Creative Writing assignment. Would you like to go out for lunch with me?"

Keeran cursed silently. Why was he making this so difficult? The mission Rita had given her was a simple one: capture a Power Ranger. Keeran had set her sights on Adam, but never took into account the possibility of receiving the kindness she had. His friendship had made her task harder to complete; it had even made her think twice about completing the mission altogether. Each time he extended his kindness to her, a tiny pang of guilt nipped at her. Now, he was asking her to join him for lunch tomorrow… She swallowed and pushed the guilt away. This mission _had_ to be done.

Taking a breath, she looked skyward and nodded too subtly for Adam to notice; her signal for Zedd and Rita to create an appropriate diversion. She turned back to Adam to answer his question.

She forced a genuine smile. "Sure, I'd like that. What time do you want—"

A loud cackle and a flurry of black feathers cut her off mid-sentence. A large troop of Tengas blocked their path. Rito and Goldar stood behind the Tengas.

Keeran screamed. "What the heck are they?" She played up the fear.

Adam cursed. Zedd and Rita really didn't know when to leave well enough alone.

"Keeran, get out of here," he said.

"But what about you?" Keeran asked.

"Don't worry about me," Adam answered, "just get out of here."

Keeran looked between the two henchmen and the Black Power Ranger, then gave Adam a nod, and headed for a small grove of trees.

Rito and Goldar watched her clear the battlefield.

"Whoa, she's good!" Rito exclaimed.

"Yeah," Goldar agreed, "that Power Ranger won't know what hit him."

"What do you two want?" Adam demanded.

"We just want to have some fun," Rito teased. He raised his sword. "Get him, Tengas!"

The birds cawed and went on the attack. Adam promptly engaged them, taking his attention off of Goldar and Rito.

Keeran used the fight to make her way over to where Rito and Goldar were overseeing the battle. Instead of the dark jeans and violet tank top she'd had on, she was now dressed in a dark purple floor-length dress. In her hand was a silver flute. She raised it to her lips and started to play a soft tune, her eyes on the fighting Ranger.

Adam threw a punch; his fist hit its mark. He kicked the one approaching him from behind. He turned to fend off another Tenga, but a sudden onslaught of lethargy had his block failing to do its job. His mind grew foggy and he was unable to concentrate on anything.

Except for that flute… He couldn't explain it, but there was something about the music… It was intoxicating; almost hypnotic. It was drawing him towards it.

Five streaks of white, red, yellow, blue and pink signaled the arrival of Adam's comrades.

"Adam!" Kim called out.

The sound of Kim's voice brought him out of his light trance, and he immediately continued fighting his assailants.

Keeran cursed. Zordon had alerted them to Rito and Goldar's presence. And now, she had lost her hold on the Black Ranger. If the others got to Adam, all of her planning would be done in vain; everything would be ruined. She started playing her flute louder, the music no less hypnotizing.

The lethargy and foggy mind returned to Adam and he stopped fighting altogether. Entranced in the notes coming from the flute, he started walking towards Keeran. The crush he had developed for her only amplified how beautifully she appeared to him. The way the breeze danced through her dark chestnut brown hair, the way it moved the hem of her dress; he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

Aisha cursed the moment she saw Keeran. She'd known Keeran was bad news from the start. Why hadn't the boy listened? While she had long admired Adam's innate ability to see the best in people, she wished he had have seen through Keeran's façade.

"Adam!" she called and started after him. A trio of Tengas thwarted her attempt. She quickly did away with them and continued her pursuit.

Tommy heard Aisha's call and looked up. A feeling of dread came over him. He knew the girl who had entranced the young Black Ranger. Keeran had been his superior officer; the one he answered to when Rita wasn't around. While Keeran wasn't quite as bad as the Lord and Lady she served, she was still a force not to be reckoned with. Even he had tried his damnedest to avoid her wrath. Now, she was after Adam and her hold on him was strong. He knew what Keeran was capable of and wouldn't wish it upon his worst enemy.

"Adam!" Tommy cried and started to join Aisha's pursuit of the unmorphed Black Ranger. "Adam, stop! It's a trap!"

Tommy's cries did nothing to slow Adam's advancement or weaken the hold Keeran had on the teen. Adam simply did not hear the calls of his leader.

Tommy picked up speed, but Rito stepped in front of him.

"Not so fast, Ranger," Rito said.

"Out of my way, Rito!" Tommy spat.

"You'll have to fight me first," Rito replied and swung his sword.

Tommy grabbed Saba from his sheath and blocked the blade, effectively engaging the skeleton in battle.

Aisha made a mad dash to close the distance between her and her long-time friend. Goldar's sword stopped her in her tracks and sent her reeling to the ground.

"You'll never get to him in time, Yellow Ranger," Goldar taunted.

"Oh yeah?" Aisha challenged, getting to her feet. "Watch me!"

She called upon her Power Daggers and met the gold monkey in battle. She managed to bring her knee up and land it square in his stomach. Goldar fell back and Aisha used the opportunity to escape and continue her pursuit. Goldar was quick to catch up and summoned help from three nearby Tengas to keep the Yellow Ranger where she was.

The tactic worked. With Rito holding Tommy at bay and the Tengas and Goldar keeping the rest of the Rangers busy, there was nothing between Adam and Keeran.

Keeran smiled. Her plan, despite a few very minor complications, was going relatively smoothly. Just a few more feet and the teen would in her grasp.

Rocky and Billy defeated their adversaries and both continued where Tommy and Aisha had involuntarily left off. But it was too late. Adam was in front of Keeran.

"Adam!" Rocky called. "No!"

"Adam!" Billy yelled.

Kim did away with the last of her Tengas and turned her attention to the entranced Black Ranger. "Oh no… Adam!"

"Adam, come back!" Tommy exclaimed.

Keeran laughed. "It's too late, Power Rangers. He's mine now. And don't bother coming after him; it won't end well for any of you if you do."

With the flute no longer playing, the foggy trance slowly began to fade from Adam's mind. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the fog and lethargy.

Keeran caught it and grabbed the teen's arm roughly.

"Adam!" Tommy cried.

Adam suddenly snapped out of the trance and struggled against Keeran's hold. He looked at her, unable to believe she could do something like this. He had befriended her, put his trust in her.

"Keeran, what are you doing?" he asked. "Let me go!"

Keeran tightened her grip, bending the boy's arm behind his back. "I don't think so," she hissed. "You're mine now, Black Ranger." She looked at the other Rangers, a wicked smile on her face. "It's been fun, Rangers. Bye."

Rito cackled. "Yeah, see ya!"

With a united laugh, Goldar, Rito and Keeran disappeared with Adam.

The five Rangers left behind stared at the spot where Adam and Keeran had been standing a few seconds ago. Rocky and Billy couldn't believe it. The girl Adam had fallen for had just kidnapped him. The boy had been so quick to offer her his friendship and had put his trust in her. Even Rocky and Billy had given her kindness… Keeran had betrayed the friendship the Red and Blue Rangers had given her. And she had betrayed Adam completely. Now, they were down one Ranger and had no idea where she had taken him or what she was going to do to him. Adam was gone, and for the moment, they were helpless.


	4. Chapter 4

_****_**Author's** **Note: **I really need to thank my readers for your patience with this fanfic. I know I have not been updating it as often as you, or I, would like. I also need to thank the new readers and those who have left reviews in the last little while. It is because of you that this story has been updated. You have given me the push and inspiration I've need to work on it. For that, I say: THANK YOU!

**Author's Note 2:** I just want to let you know there is some against-canon stuff that is mentioned in this chapter. Please bear with it as it's part of my OC's back story and the reason for a few small things in previous chapters. With that, I hope you enjoy this installment of: The Power of Friendship.

_**Chapter Four**_

Tommy, Aisha, Rocky and Kim stared up at Zordon. They had informed him of Adam's capture, an incident the mentor was already aware of. Alpha and Billy were concentrated on the consoles, fervently searching for any sign of the kidnapped Ranger's whereabouts.

"We've got to find him, Zordon," Tommy said, nerves making his voice taut. "I know what she's capable of."

Rocky didn't like the sound of that. "I don't even want to think about that."

"Me neither," Tommy agreed.

"I knew Keeran was bad news," Aisha spat.

"And it looks like you were right, Aisha," Zordon said, "but this is no time to say, 'I told you so'. We need to concentrate on finding Adam."

Aisha looked at her feet. "I know; I'm sorry, Zordon. I'm just upset."

"You are forgiven, Aisha," Zordon replied.

"What does she want with him?" Rocky's voice broke through. "I mean, she couldn't have captured him just because she can."

Tommy shook his head. "No; she's got an ulterior motive. Adam's just the bait."

"But what does she want?" Kim asked.

"I don't know," Tommy replied, regret laden in his voice.

"She's probably going to use Adam as a bargaining chip," Zordon spoke, "but for what, I do not know."

Kim approached Alpha and Billy. "Any closer to finding him?"

Billy looked at his fellow Ranger, sadness in his eyes. "Sorry, Kim."

"Keeran must have him in a hidden dimension," Alpha said. "I can't find him! Ai yi, yi, yi, yi!"

"Let's try widening the search," Billy suggested.

"Right, Billy," Alpha answered, "widening the search now. Oh, I hope this works."

Silence befell the Command Centre – the only sounds were the beeping of the console buttons, the occasional worried sigh and Kim's pacing. Aisha had sat down in front of the viewing globe. Rocky stood off to the side, biting his fingernails. Tommy stood with his arms folded tightly across his chest. Everyone wanted to help, but nobody knew what to do. But they all knew what they wanted: Adam home safe and sound.

**-0oOo0-**

Iron shackles dug into his ankles. The stone wall was cold against his back; the floor was even colder. He shivered against the coolness of the dank cell. Thick iron bars stood across from him about fifteen feet away. Outside, an electrified, green hued barrier ran along the front of the cell. Beyond the barrier, what seemed to be a long hallway ran perpendicular to the cell. There was no sound, save for his own breathing and the rubbing of the chain linking the shackles to the wall. There were no windows and there was barely any light. The room depressed him. This place was the epitome of evil and darkness. With one look around, Adam knew he was in trouble.

He sighed heavily. He had no idea where he was, aside from one of Zedd's many dimensions. He laid his head back against the stone wall.

The events of the last two days played, on repeat, in his mind. Keeran had seemed so sincere, so honest, so… _normal. _She had even seemed genuinely scared when the Tengas attacked. He had been so quick to befriend her, so quick to trust her, and the crush he'd developed had only blinded him and made him ignore Aisha's warnings. It wasn't the first time Aisha had been right about a girl. Immediately, his experience with Scorpina came rushing back. Aisha had tried to warn him about her, too, but the way he had felt about Scorpina's alter ego had her warnings falling on deaf ears. The exact same thing had happened here, with Keeran. He owed his friend an apology, an apology that would be delivered when he got out of here. _If _he got out of here.

For a long time, he had envied the relationship Kim and Tommy had. Kim and Tommy were happy with each other. He, very badly, wanted what they had. He wanted the happiness. He saw the way Tommy's face lit up whenever someone so much as mentioned Kim's name, not to mention the smile on his face when she walked into a room. Keeran had done that to him.

Every time Keeran had walked into the Youth Centre, he had felt himself lighting up the same way Tommy did when he saw Kim. He had enjoyed walking her home, and had empathized with her when she told him she'd never really had a friend. He knew, firsthand, what that felt like. Elementary school had been some of the loneliest years of his life, even painful at times. He didn't want Keeran to go through the same humiliation and loneliness he had… Had all of that been a lie? Had Keeran fabricated the no-friends story to gain his friendship? Had it all been done solely as a means to capture him?

Though he knew he shouldn't, he felt betrayed by Keeran. He thought in befriending her, he had her friendship in return. She had been such a nice girl and he had felt appreciated, felt like she actually gave a damn about him. He had hoped the crush he had developed would have become something more… She had made him happier than he'd been in a long time. He had been looking forward to lunch with her tomorrow. It would have been a great opportunity to get to know her outside of school. But those plans were thwarted now.

The sound of soft footsteps drew Adam's attention. He lifted his head as Keeran came into view. With his hands free of shackles, he reached into his back pocket… It was empty.

"Looking for this?" Keeran asked wickedly. Her voice echoed in the dank room. In her hand, was the Black Ranger's morpher.

Adam stared at her. His heart skipped a beat. "No! My morpher!"

Keeran laughed. "Pretty useless without this, aren't you?"

"Don't underestimate me, Keeran," Adam retorted.

"Oh, is that a threat?" Keeran mocked. "Seems pretty empty considering your situation."

Adam growled. She had a point. He was pretty useless here with his morpher in her hands, and there wasn't much he could do shackled to the wall. He sighed and looked at her.

"Why?" he asked.

Keeran snorted. "Why not?"

Adam shook his head. "No. Why would you do something like this? I was your friend, I trusted you. I protected you from Bulk and Skull. Hell, I even _liked you_. How could you do something like this after all that?"

"That's what made it so easy," Keeran sneered. "_You_ made it so easy." She turned off the electrified barrier and entered the cell. "My mission was a simple one," she said, slowly sauntering closer to him. "Capture a Ranger. The minute you showed me kindness, I knew it would be a cinch getting you to befriend me." She knelt down in front of him. Her hair fell over her shoulders. "Looks like I was right."

Adam swallowed. This was what he got for letting his guard down so readily. He could feel a small pang of fear resonate in his stomach; it tightened his muscles. He looked at her with hard eyes, hoping to disguise the fear.

"What do you want with me?" he asked.

"I was hoping you'd ask that question," Keeran replied slyly. "You're about to find out."

**-0oOo0-**

Tommy had taken to pacing, sweat beading on his forehead. Rocky was perched on the edge of one of the rear consoles; his right leg bounced rapidly. Kim and Aisha stood together, staring at the floor. Alpha and Billy were still searching fervently for their missing comrade. Zordon was silent in his tube.

"Anything yet?" Tommy asked. He had stopped pacing and was standing next to Billy.

Billy shook his head, sadly. "Nothing. If Adam is in one of Lord Zedd's dimensions, Keeran's hiding him well."

Tommy took a step back and turned around. Frustrated, his punched his left palm with his right fist.

Kim approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. She wished she had something to say to give him comfort, but her thoughts were as dark as everyone else's. What if they didn't find Adam? What was Keeran capable of? Why had she captured him in the first place? What did she want? What would happen if they refused to comply with what she wanted?

The soft sound of static drew Aisha's attention to the viewing globe. It was snowy, like it was receiving a transmission.

"Hey guys," she spoke, "look at the viewing globe."

The Rangers, Alpha and Zordon turned their attention to the globe.

"What's going on?" Kim asked.

"We are receiving a transmission," Zordon answered.

The snow and static cleared to reveal Keeran standing in a dark cell. Adam was sitting on the floor behind her, the shackles at his ankles clearly visible.

Anger boiled in Tommy's veins seeing his teammate partially chained to the wall like a caged animal.

"Hello, Rangers," Keeran spoke. Her voice sent shivers down Aisha's spine.

"What do you want, Keeran?" the Yellow Ranger spat.

"Oh my," Keeran said. "Zordon, you need to teach your minions better manners. That's no way to speak to the one holding your precious Adam captive."

Tommy took a breath, gathering his repose. "What do you want with him, Keeran?" he asked as calmly and politely as he could muster.

A wicked smile crossed her face. "That's better. Looks like someone hasn't forgotten how to properly speak to their commanding officer." Her smile grew. "Tommy, nice to see you again." Her smile faded and harshness entered her eyes. "Now, to get down to the business at hand."

"Which is?" Zordon demanded.

"I have something you want," Keeran said.

"So give him back," Aisha spat.

"Nah, uh, uh," Keeran replied, "not so fast, Yellow Ranger. You have a couple of things that _I_ want."

"Like what?" Rocky asked.

"Zords, Power Coins…" Keeran listed. An evil smile spread across her lips. "Yourselves."

A unified look of dread circled the Command Centre.

"You have two hours," Keeran said. "Report to me in person and surrender everything you have, including yourselves, and Adam lives – _if _you can find him."

"If we don't?" Aisha asked.

"Should you fail to comply, or simply fail to find him, it'll be bye-bye Black Ranger," Keeran replied. "You won't even get to bury him."

"Don't do it, guys!" Adam shouted from behind Keeran. "Don't give in to her! Don't make the—"

Keeran approached the teen and gave him a sharp backhand slap across his mouth. "Shut up."

The hit sent Adam to the floor. Blood oozed from a split bottom lip.

Tommy grimaced. He knew what one of those slaps felt like. They were sharp and stung long after the initial hit.

Keeran turned back to the Rangers. Anger was splayed across her face.

"Two hours and your precious little Adam dies," she snapped. A snide smile graced her lips. "Good luck, Rangers."

The image faded into snow and static, and then Adam and Keeran disappeared completely, leaving an empty viewing globe.

It was several long seconds before the silence in the Command Centre was broken.

"We have to get him back," Kim spoke, turning to face Zordon. "We can't lose him."

"Billy." Zordon's voice brought the Blue Ranger out of his shocked trance. "Continue searching for Adam."

Slowly, Billy moved back to the console he and Alpha had been working at. The ultimatum Keeran had just given them felt like a win-win situation for the forces of evil. He appreciated the two hour time frame they had been given, but he wondered if it was sufficient. They had already been searching for an hour. Would they find him in time?

In the months since Adam joined the team, the two had become close. Adam was the only one who even remotely understood him when he spoke in his scientific language. The two had spent many afternoons in Billy's lab; Adam was always happy to help him with his latest invention. Billy felt it was more than safe to say he and Adam had become best friends, and now he was in danger of losing him. Adam was in incredible danger and the only thing Billy could do was stand around the Command Centre and search the Universe. He felt he wasn't doing enough, like there was so much more he could do. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Adam… He didn't know what any of them would do. Billy hated to think about it, but it was a very real possibility.

He sighed and stared at the console. "I don't know where to start to continue looking for him."

"Just start where you left off, Billy," Tommy said. "It's all you can do."

Billy nodded. "I just wish there was an easier way."

"What about tracing the transmission?" Rocky asked. "We could trace it back to the source."

Tommy wasn't so sure. "Keeran's pretty smart, Rocky. I really don't think she would risk using a traceable signal. She'd do anything in her power to keep it hidden."

"Unfortunately, Tommy is right," Zordon said. "Keeran blocked the source of the transmission."

"So, in other words, we're no closer to finding Adam than we were an hour ago," Kim said, despairingly.

"Looks like it," Rocky sighed.

"We'll find him," Tommy said. "We have to."

"Alright, I'll continue searching," Billy spoke, and went back to work.

An uneasy silence befell the room. Everyone prayed as hard as they could. They had to get Adam back. He was an integral part of the team. They needed him.

**-0oOo0-**

Adam's hard glare followed Keeran's movements around the room. He knew the ultimatum the girl had given his friends was a hard one for them to agree to. But, what had she meant by _if_ they could find him? How well hidden was he? Lord Zedd had always been good at capturing and hiding a Ranger, but Adam and his friends had always found them. Was finding him going to be too difficult a task? No matter how difficult, he knew Billy was glued to the consoles, rigorously searching the Solar System. Adam knew the dedicated Blue Ranger would search the entire Universe if he had to. They all would.

"Your threats are empty, Keeran," Adam growled. "My friends will come for me."

"Don't bank on it, Adam," Keeran replied. She looked at him and rolled her eyes at the glare she was receiving. "And stop looking at me like that; you'll give yourself a headache."

Adam snorted. "Too late; I've already got one; you."

Keeran laughed, unimpressed. "Cute, but insulting me won't do anything, so don't waste your breath. You're going to need it later." She leaned her back against the adjacent wall to Adam's right, smiling smugly. "Y'know, you and Tommy are a lot alike. You get yourselves cornered, and you start running your mouths. What are you trying to do, appear braver than you really are?"

Adam took in a sharp breath to retort, but he let it out, deciding to let it go. It was pointless to continue throwing words back and forth. He really wasn't in any shape to do battle of any kind, even verbal. He was the one at the disadvantage; he was in her territory. And though he would never openly admit it, she did have a point. His words had been a ploy – a ploy that wasn't working. He needed another tactic; one that wasn't so energy consuming. It seemed, no matter what he said, Keeran remained unfazed. What would faze her? How could he get her to let her guard down?

The afternoon he walked her home from school came rushing back to him. At her locker, in a moment of flirtatious bravery, he had told her he hoped she didn't move again too soon; he had just met her. The look in her eyes when she told him that no one had ever said those words to her before was genuine. A tiny bit of her true self had come through for a brief moment. He had seen it a few times. The second time was when he'd asked her if she minded if he was her first friend. He'd seen it on the walk home and at her doorstep before he left. There was a real, honest girl somewhere inside her, who was, really, not unlike himself. How long had she been under Lord Zedd and Rita's influence? Was it a spell, or had she simply grown up with them?

He looked at her. He had a new tactic: Conversation.

"How do you know Tommy?" he asked quietly.

Keeran raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?

"Know what?"

"Tommy was evil once, and I was his commanding officer. Until he betrayed us," Keeran said.

Adam sighed. This explained a few things. "That's why you left whenever Tommy came around."

"And the light bulb goes off." Keeran answered snidely. "I had to; if he'd have seen me, my cover would have been blown. I couldn't risk that; not when I was so close."

Adam considered it; it made sense on her part. There was no telling what would have happened if Tommy had have crossed paths with her, aside from a battle and the possibility of him never being captured in the first place. But there was no sense in dwelling in what could have been. He was here now, and needed an escape plan.

He took a breath and looked at Keeran. "So, I guess you've been here a while if you were Tommy's commanding officer."

"You could say that," Keeran said.

"Then, how come Billy didn't recognise you when he saw you today?"

"Because Billy's never seen me before," Keeran replied. "I'm kind of like Finster…"

Adam nodded. "Behind the scenes," he finished.

Keeran nodded. She left the wall and moved to stand in front of her captive. "Y'know, this has been fun for me. I haven't seen this much action since I battled Jason last year."

"Glad I could be of service," Adam mumbled snidely.

A sharp glare from a pair of blue-grey eyes met him hard.

"Don't get smart with me," Keeran snapped, "lest you forget whose company you're in."

Adam looked away, staring at the chain linked to his shackles. "Sorry." He cursed inwardly. He thought he had been making some progress. Now, he wondered if he'd have to start all over again.

"You had better be," Keeran warned. "Because I can always shorten the time your friends have to find you."

"That still wouldn't stop them from finding me," Adam said.

"Maybe not, but the fact that you're never going to show up on their radar might," Keeran answered with a snide smile.

"They could trace that transmission," Adam retorted.

"They could, but I blocked it."

Adam stared at her. The small ball of fear in his gut suddenly grew. Now, he knew he was in trouble. Serious trouble.

Keeran caught the fear. She smiled wickedly. "That's right." She chuckled. "Not so brave now, are you, Black Ranger?"

Adam sighed. He was back to square one. He had to get the real Keeran to show herself like he had done yesterday, even if only for a moment.

Adam shook his head and his eyes narrowed. "How did you get like this?"

Keeran raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like _this;_ evil," Adam said. He looked at her directly in the eyes. "I'm willing to bet that at one time you were no different than me and my friends. I think you were just a regular girl with a family and perhaps a best friend or two. But then something happened."

"She got better," Keeran answered shortly.

"Who told you that, Rita?" Adam asked.

When Keeran paused, he knew he'd struck a chord.

"I think you were captured," he continued, "and Rita bent you to her will. But, I think the hold she had on you started to fray yesterday."

"You assume too much," Keeran said harshly.

"Do I?" Adam challenged. "See, I think the real Keeran is in there somewhere. I saw her yesterday, only for a moment, but I saw her; and I've got to say, I like that Keeran better than I do this one."

"Well tough luck, 'cause this is the Keeran you're dealing with." She turned and headed for the cell door. She exited and turned the barrier back on.

"Where is the old Keeran?" Adam asked.

There was a small pause and then, "She's not here." She looked at him, her eyes suddenly hard. "I'll be back when it's time to deliver your fate." She walked away briskly.

Adam sighed and laid his head back against the wall. He hoped his words had found their target. If they hadn't, and if he couldn't get them to, he wouldn't be getting out of here alive. He needed the real Keeran to show herself, if only to prove he was right. He knew there was a teenaged girl in there who had been taken advantage of by Rita. Adam was determined to get through to that girl, not only because his life depended on it, but because a small part of him was still attached to her. He didn't know if it was because of the crush he'd had, or if it was because he was beginning to realize that not _everything_ she had told him was a lie; half-truths maybe, but not all out lies. Now that he thought about it, the "no friends" story probably wasn't too far off; the company of Zedd and Rita and their minions was less than friendly. The more he thought about her, the more he felt sorry for her and the less he blamed her. Was he wrong in feeling this way? Part of him said it was, since it wasn't commonplace to sympathize with one's captor, but another part of him did indeed feel sorry for her. But yet, the part of him wired for survival saw empathy as an escape strategy. Escape was his primary objective. He wasn't ready to die just yet.

**-0oOo0-**

"Have you given them the ultimatum?"

Keeran turned her eyes to Lord Zedd, who sat in his throne with his attention trained on her. "The ultimatum has been delivered."

"Now, we just wait for them to come and find him," Rita spoke from her telescope, "and, when they do, we'll destroy them!" She turned around and entered the throne room. She looked at Keeran with pride in her eyes. "This plan is going perfectly."

"And even if they don't find him, you still get to destroy a Ranger," Keeran said. "I gave them two hours to find him and comply. If they don't, he's space dust."

Zedd squirmed happily in his throne. "Ooh, I like the sound of that! Yes, I am proud of you, Keeran."

Those words immediately renewed Keeran's loyalty to the couple in front of her and the state of confusion Adam had left her in quickly dissipated. She had longed to feel their pride, to have her work appreciated and right now, the victory and glory was hers. She smiled. She had made them proud; they were pleased by her. She belonged.

She bowed gently. "Thank you."

Zedd sighed happily. "Yes, life is good."


End file.
